


Patient First

by lha



Series: The Hippocratic Oath [1]
Category: Star Trek: Discovery, Star Trek: The Original Series
Genre: Gen, Medical, Prequel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-27
Updated: 2017-10-27
Packaged: 2019-01-25 04:27:13
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12522948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lha/pseuds/lha
Summary: Set between S1E02: Battle of the Binary Stars & S1E03: Context is for KingsHugh Culber doesn't know much about this patient other than the fact that that's who his first duty is to.





	1. Chapter 1

“Absolutely not,” Hugh Culber said, forcibly placing himself between the door to his patient’s room and the Admiral. 

“Doctor Culber,” Admiral Franks began, his face reddening in obvious anger, “you will stand down.” 

“I will not. My first and only obligation is to my patient and he is not fit to be released and certainly not to put through whatever it is you have in mind…”

“He will be given all appropriate care,” Franks said “as my assistant explained when he was here this morning.” 

“And all I asked, was for the details of that care. Your assistant was unable to provide those, so I refused to release him.” 

“Captain Lorca has agreed to face this hearing. You have no right to interfere.”

“I have every right. I’m sorry that this is inconvenient but the Captain should not have been interviewed, let alone allowed to make this sort of decision. He is not fit for duty and I am not releasing him from medical care unless I can be confident that he will be receiving the appropriate treatment and supervision.”

“Supervision?” the Admiral questioned. 

“That might not have been the correct turn of phrase, but as I’m sure you’re well aware the Captain has undergone an extremely distressing experience and has yet to pass his psychiatric evaluation.”

“Are you saying he’s unstable?”

 

“I’m saying that he isn’t well enough physically for us to have done more than a cursory evaluation, and I’m not the person to answer any detailed questions about his mental condition.” 

“Anything I can do?” Doctor McCoy asked, sidling up the corridor and coming to stand next to him facing the Admiral. The older man was an experienced doctor, and Hugh appreciated his dry no-nonsense attitude. Additionally, as he was a mature recruit to Starfleet, he seemed to be happier standing up to authority than most of his colleagues.

“I’m just explaining to Admiral Franks that I’m unable to release Captain Lorca,” Hugh explained.

“Well Admiral, if you’d like a second opinion, I agree.” McCoy said frankly, “I’ll leave you gentlemen to it, but I’m just inside.” And with that he stepped inside Lorca’s room and closed the door firmly behind him. 

“I… I’ll be speaking with Doctor Osterhagen.”

“Do,” Hugh said, biting his tongue from pointing out that the Head of the Starfleet Medical was already well aware of the situation, “In the meantime, if you’ll excuse me, I have patients to see to.” The Admiral stormed away, and Hugh pondered momentarily about the man’s blood pressure.

Once he was certain that the Franks was gone, he turned and let himself into the darkened room. Leonard caught him by the elbow just inside the door however and steered him back outside.

“He’s asleep, Hugh,” the other man said quietly when the door was closed, “long may it last.”

“How long?” he asked, 

“His last obs were an hour ago and he was awake then and…” McCoy keyed up the notes on the panel by the door, “no sedatives in four hours so at least it’s natural.” 

“Then long may it last,” Hugh echoed, as they moved back down the hallway. 

 

No matter how you defined ‘long’, the fact that their patient woke screaming rather compromised the healing value to the rest. 

“Easy Captain, easy,” Hugh urged taking a firm hold of his ankles, “Gabriel, you’re at Starfleet Medical on Earth. I’m Doctor Culber, you’re safe and in no danger,” he said calmly, over and over again until eventually the man woke. Lorca sat bolt upright, blinking into the darkness. “Gabriel? Captain Lorca?” Hugh asked, wary about approaching before he was certain that the man wouldn’t swing first and ask questions later. 

“I… it was… I…” There was a pause and then the halting admission, “I’m going to be sick….” All the reflexes in the world wouldn’t have helped him get a bowl there in time to save the little food he’d managed to get his patient to consume earlier in the day, decorate the bed covers. 

“Don’t worry, it’s fine,” he said placing a gentle hand on Lorca’s shoulder, pulling back the soiled covers. The Captain was quiet now, his trembling easy to feel beneath Hugh’s hand. 

“It’s dark,” the other man said after a while.

“Your eyes have been damaged, we’re hoping that given some time they’ll recover.”

“You mean that I could… I could be blind?!” he could feel the tension radiating off the other man.  
“No, we could complete a surgical intervention and replace the damaged tissue but we haven’t given up on your own eyes yet,” Hugh said calmly.

“You’ve told me that before…” Lorca said as suddenly reality and his recent memories caught up with him.

“But it’s still true,” Hugh said, watching and waiting for the memories to arrive. He could tell when they did, because the shutters came down, the barricades went up and Gabriel Lorca disappeared behind The Captain.

“I… I understood that I was to attend a hearing today.”

“Well,” Hugh began, “I didn’t think that was appropriate.”

“Surely that’s not your decision to make?”

“I think you’ll find it’s entirely my decision for the time being.” Lorca looked at him for several moments before he seemed to deflate. 

“Very well Doctor,” he said, “but it will happen eventually and I will accept the consequence of my actions.” Hugh Culber watched for a moment, waiting to see some chink of the man beneath the armour. He wasn’t sure he got it, but what he did sense was a man he was willing to respect. 

“Well in the meantime,” he said, “allow me to look after you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So... it turned out there was a second chapter. There may be more... ;)

“Do I pass?” Lorca asked as he fastened the front of his uniform and smoothed down it’s plains. 

“Well a good meal wouldn’t have hurt,” Hugh said honestly, given that eating was an ongoing battle and the fit of the Captain’s uniform showed it, “but you look very smart.” 

“I’m not sure what that’ll be worth,” Lorca admitted, lingering in the mirror, “but at least it’s better than nothing.” 

“Command have been informed of your special requirements so if the lighting is too high, just tell them,” he said only to receive a small nod in reply. “There’s to be a break at least once an hour, no - don’t even start Captain,” he warned as the other man turned to him, a frown creasing his brow. 

“I don’t… other than the lighting, I don’t need any accommodations. I’m more than willing and able to face the consequences of my actions.” 

“Well, the consequences are for other people to decide. Just…” Hugh paused, trying to think how best to put this, “try to stay calm, and remember that not everything in the galaxy is your fault,” he settled on eventually. Lorca looked at him directly and raised an eyebrow. “Don’t look like that - I’ve seen you get frustrated more often than I’d like to remember….”

“I have no idea what you mean Doctor,” he said, with a roguish grin that once upon a time would have made his knees grow weak. “I doubt I’ll be back here, so thank you for your care Doctor, and thank that man of yours for stopping by.”

“I’ll pass that on,” Hugh said with a rye smile. Paul had arrived in the middle of one of his shifts riled up to 99 and obviously needing to vent. He had been sounding off at the central observation station when Lorca’s door had opened, the man hanging back in the shadows but happy to counter every point the scientist had made. It was exactly what Paul had needed and Lorca had certainly seemed to enjoy the experience. 

“Thank you for your care, Doctor,” Lorca said as he stepped up to the security officers standing outside his door. “Gentlemen? I take it you’re here to make sure I make it to my hearing?” 

“Sir.” Was the only response he got. Hugh watched as the Captain left, the flinch as they led him out into the overcast San Francisco day clear to read in his shoulders. 

Needless to say, the outcome of the trial was hush-hush. Hugh had known that it was all happening behind closed doors but not to hear anything at all after it his patient had walked out the door seemed particularly odd. He came to terms with it though, the starfleet medical facilities were all running at capacity and none of them were really designed for war times. 

Given that Paul had been firmly embedded in Research and Development, for as long as Hugh had known him, he’d certainly never thought that his partner would be the reason he ended back out space. But then, Paul had come home spitting fire . 

“They,... they don’t understand!” Paul was close to tears and all Hugh could do was hold him. 

Two days later, when it became entirely clear that Paul’s research was being actively co-opted into the war effort and that he would be working on the USS Discovery (when it was ready to leave dock), Hugh put in a request for spousal transfer. 

“You don’t have to do that,” Paul said, the next night when they were in bed “I mean. I’ll probably be working most of the time…” 

“And you wonder why I want to be there?” he said, kissing the top of the head resting on his chest. “I know you, you need someone to look after you.” 

“Is that what you are? My nanny?” Paul asked lightly.

“Nope, I’m your husband,”

“Ah. Good to know.” Hugh slapped his chest. “Love you too, Dear Doctor,” Paul murmured into his pyjama top. 

 

“Doctor Culber,” Hugh said absently the next day, answering the com in his office. 

“Well. who would have guessed it,” the drawl was vaguely familiar but it took him a moment to place it.

“Captain Lorca?” 

“You got it,” came the remarkably informal reply. “A little bird tells me you’d like to join my crew.” There was a smile in his eye, and a PADD in his hand. 

“Your crew?” Hugh asked, his paper work now totally forgotten. 

“Discovery.” 

“Oh. Well, yes I suppose I am, Captain.” Lorca looked at him for more than a minute. 

“Are we going to have a problem Doctor?”

“Not from my end,” Hugh said. 

“Well then Doctor, welcome to the crew,” he said, pressing his thumb to the PADD.

“Thank you Captain,” Hugh said. “Have you had lunch?” 

“Lunch? I thought you had applied for a spousal transfer, are you propositioning me?” There was an amused glint in Lorca’s eye. 

“No, I’m asking after a patient.”

“I think you’ll find that I’m no longer your patient.” Lorca said, a core of steel appearing in his tone. This, Hugh realised, was the Captain that the brass had wanted. 

“Except that you’ve just approved my transfer and…” he left that thought hanging, knowing Lorca would understand.

“I think you’ll find I’m quite capable of looking after myself Doctor Culber,” the other man replied, deftly avoiding the question, “I’ll see you in a few weeks, Doctor.” And then Hugh was staring at the Starfleet insignia wondering what on earth he’d got himself into.

**Author's Note:**

> So...  
> Bit strange. I know. Apologies to any TOS fans and hope that my fleeting cameo doesn't drive you crazy.
> 
> As ever, all thoughts gratefully received here or over one twitter - @LHA_again
> 
> Lx


End file.
